Approximately 70,000+ BC: Lamps are invented; mankind more conveniently illuminates the darkness above and below ground, as well as inside constructed housing

This is a major technological breakthrough, creating a form of artificial lighting much more practical and mobile than torches, braziers, or cooking fires could ever be.

The earliest lamps may consist of sea shells or hollowed rocks filled with something absorbant (like moss), and saturated with animal fat to allow combustion.

Perhaps the most significant aspect of lamps is their contribution to maintaining lots of small, relatively long-lived perpetual flames around-- for it will still be many thousands of years before mankind has a reliable way to start fires from scratch.

-- lamp; Encyclopedia Britannica ["http://www.britannica.com/bcom/eb/article/printable/4/0,5722,46974,00.html"], found on or about 2-16-2000, and fire; Encyclopedia Britannica ["http://www.britannica.com/bcom/eb/article/8/0,5716,34938+1,00.html"], found on or about 2-16-2000

It may be very fortunate for humanity that it invents lamp technology around this time-- for they will need every advantage they can get in the coming near-extinction event.

Readers of previous sections of this document will realize the enormous importance of perpetual flames/fire sources to the well being of both individuals and communities up to this point in history. The invention of lamps helps tremendously now in lessening ancient people's insecurity regarding fire sources. However, conventional lamps only lessen or dilute the burden of maintenance, not dissolve it entirely. Thus, with the invention of basic lamps must follow the logical next step: the invention of a perpetually burning flame or light requiring still less maintenance-- with zero maintenance being the ideal.